Not reinventing the conservative message. Just making it spicier.

Tag: Right Wing News

For those of you wondering why I haven’t blogged in recent weeks, I have been extremely busy with my senior year of college (blame those pesky midterms!), editor duties for TheCollegeConservative, and maintaining a social life (Yes, having one is possible at this reputed university).

Last week, I had the distinct pleasure of attending my first CPAC conference. I did not attend the conference in years’ prior for a whole host of reasons, but am grateful I attended it this year. I saw many of my activist friends, twitter pals, and met some terrific individuals.

Unlike most of my peers, I worked the event for several media organizations – namely TheCollegeConservative(where I currently edit and contribute articles) and Red Alert Politics. I joined my fellow TCC editors Zach, Sydney, Kevin and our star writer Christine in this adventure. What transpired can be summed up in one word: amazing.

Having media credentials at CPAC has many perks: access to a private lounge, opportunities to meet/mingle with heavy-hitters of the conservative movement, and refreshments…A blogger’s haven, indeed!

Furthermore, I was able to attend my first Blog Bash event. Set in Microsoft’s HQ in downtown D.C., Blog Bash boasted a fun and hip atmosphere. I caught up with my political godparents, Eagle Forum of San Diego’s Donna and Woody Woodrum – arguably the best conservative activists in all of Southern California; and my good pal James O’Keefe, who was flanked by his ever-growing entourage. I look forward to going to future Blog Bashes!

Another wonderful event I attended was our CollegeConservative dinner. Set in Famous Luigi’s in Foggy Bottom, the dinner brought together all the editors and nearly a third of our staff. It was great to hear and meet many of our talented writers. We wouldn’t be successful without them!

Of course, no conservative event would be complete without the #Occupy crowd attempting to crash the party. Those Marxists are SO creative and original…

Since I couldn’t attend Reaganpalooza this year (I am a month shy of my 21st birthday), I enjoyed a delightful dinner with some Hillsdale friends, new and old, at Le Pain Quotidian Saturday evening. My lovely friend MaryAnn (who interns at Family Research Council) accompanied me to dinner so we could catch up for lost time. You could say it was good ol’ fashioned conservative fun. : )

And my trip to CPAC wouldn’t be complete without a crazy travel or transportation story. Whether it was metro mishaps or dealing with airport bureaucrats, I experienced several awkward encounters and some instances of bad luck (especially on my flight back home). My flight to Denver was deplaned after three hours due to maintenance issues. If I didn’t switch airlines, I would have been stuck in D.C. till 9pm local time. Fortunately, with the help of my mom, I was able to get a new flight through Chicago that safely got me back to San Diego before day’s end. (Aciu labai, mamyte! I’m indebted to you for saving the day and watching over me.)

Although bothersome, these detractors assured me that God works in mysterious ways and that all will work out in the end. When in doubt, I always remember the brave men and women fighting for our freedoms abroad – so whatever qualms I have about transportation or airports are insignificant compared to their sacrifices, pain, and suffering. (God bless the troops!)

If I haven’t mentioned this already, I’m grateful to friends, family members, and cohorts who inspire me to be my best. I would be truly lost without your loyalty, friendship, advice, and reassurance. Look forward to taking this country back with you!

I will return to D.C. this June after I graduate from UCSD…More details on that development shortly. Stay tuned!

Although the GOP Establishment is keen to make Mitt Romney our nominee, conservative resistance is slowly building up to counter their efforts. We cannot afford a candidate that boasts many similarities to President Obama, let alone one that flip-flops and is a RINO.

Coalition of Conservatives Launches
“Not Mitt Romney” Effort in Early StatesNew Web Site with Petition, Web Ad
and Publishes Iowa and NH Op Eds
MYRTLE BEACH, SC — Today conservative activists, operatives and bloggers are announcing the formation of a new “Not Mitt Romney” (NMR) coalition dedicated to preventing Romney from winning the Republican nomination.
Three of the coalition’s cofounders had a guest column published in the Des Moines Register on Sunday, “Conservative Iowans owe it to Nation to Reject Mitt.” They also had a guest column published in today’s New Hampshire Union Leader.
NMR Coalition co-founder Ali Akbar, a Republican communications consultant and Vice President, Digital Strategy, at Vice and Victory Agency, said, “Primaries are a good place to vet and try a candidate. Mitt Romney is that candidate and this primary is far from over. A nominee, worse a President, whom we have no idea where he stands on the issues presents a danger to our Party’s brand and this unique time in history where true reforms can actually happen. The American people want truth and the Republican Party would do well to offer it, lest we snatch defeat from victory’s jaws again.”
NMR Coalition co-founder John Hawkins, a professional blogger who runs Right Wing News, said, “In 2008, conservatives let the GOP Establishment and the mainstream media select our nominee for us. How did that work out? Does anybody really have the slightest idea what Mitt Romney would do as President? Nobody can even reasonably predict where he’ll be on any issue six months from now, much less what he’d do if he became the leader of the free world.”
NMR Coalition co-founder Matt Mackowiak, President of Potomac Strategy Group, LLC, said, “Mitt Romney is an honorable man, but he is not a conservative that we can trust. America faces greater challenges today than at any time in the last 70 years. Nominating a candidate whose history has shown a commitment to opportunism rather than conservative principles is a recipe for electoral disaster next year. Nominating a candidate for whom the base has zero enthusiasm is also a recipe for electoral disaster next year, as it was in 2008. I desperately want to defeat President Obama for reelection and absolutely believe that this coalition effort is helping achieve that. We need bold colors, not pale pastels.”
The coalition, which was publicly created by 20 individuals, launched http://www.NotMittRomney.com on November 6, 2011, the one year anniversary of Election Day 2012. On the site, the public may sign an online petition agreeing that “Mitt Romney should NOT be OUR nominee,” access information about Romney’s career of flip flopping on major issues and invite others to join the effort.
In addition to the website, the Not Mitt Romney coalition launched a twitter account (@MittFlipFlops) and twitter hash tag: #NotMitt. . . .
This coalition campaign will include targeted voter contact in early states, which will include phone and door to door contact, email marketing, paid and earned media and online targeting.
This coalition is not paid for by any candidate campaign or Super PAC, but rather is organized solely by its creators, who include supporters of many of the other conservative candidates who are running and some who remain undecided.

I was asked by Ali to endorse the petition, but of course I am strictly a neutral objective journalist, so I can merely report on the existence of the petition, which cannot be considered an endorsement.